Art Jam, farmers market, parade spotlight New London neighborhoods

New London - For a year, New London Landmarks hosted art jams and workshops, planted flowers and held meetings where residents discussed ways to revitalize the neighborhoods around Riverside Park and Hodges Square.

On Saturday, the work will culminate with a parade led by the New London High School Marching Band at noon from Winthrop School to Adelaide Street; the opening of a new weekly farmers market at 2 p.m. at Hodges Square; and an Art Jam party from noon to 2 p.m. at Riverside Park.

A master plans for the park will be presented at 11 a.m. at Winthrop School.

"New London Connection" wraps up a year of activities that New London Landmarks organized around a Creative Placemaking grant it received from the state Department of Economic and Community Development.

"We are recognizing that the neighborhood needs to be reconnected to downtown,'' said Sandra Chalk, executive director of Landmarks.

The master plan, which Chalk said will be released Saturday, outlines short and longer-term projects for the city to improve the park and Hodges Square.

Information can be used, Chalk said, to apply for grants.

"The city will move forward as funding allows,'' she said.

Achievements over the year include the formation of a governance committee of business owners and residents; the creation of community gardens at the entrance to Riverside Park by the nonprofit Riverside Park Conservancy; and the Saturday Farmers Market, which will be open for the summer next to Copy Cats on Williams Street.